


The thought that counts

by eccentricweft



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-30
Updated: 2010-03-30
Packaged: 2017-10-08 13:10:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/75974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eccentricweft/pseuds/eccentricweft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We're about to come down with the plague, and you want to know how I'm feeling?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The thought that counts

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [McShep Match](http://community.livejournal.com/mcshep_match/) challenge in 2008.

"Something bit me!" Rodney screeched.

John looked over just in time to see Rodney yank his arm out of the compartment where the Alpha Site's naquadah generator was located. "Ow ow ow damn it, that hurts!" He shook his left hand wildly in the air.

John and Lorne crossed the room quickly, and John caught Rodney's flailing hand for a closer look. There was a ragged line of blood tracing back from the base of his thumb.

"Looks more like a scratch than a bite," he said. "Sure you didn't scrape it against something in the compartment?"

"There's nothing sharp in there, and I felt something furry brush my arm. Don't poke at it, Colonel!"

"I wasn't going to poke it," John soothed. He let Rodney's hand go and fished out the small medkit in his vest.

Lorne grimaced at the shallow wound. "Sergeant Wasserman said they've had some small rodents in the storage areas here. I wonder if there's a nest of 'em in the generator compartment?"

"Oh well, that's just great," Rodney huffed. "The most advanced piece of technology on this entire planet and it's home sweet home for a bunch of alien mice." He winced as John pressed a gauze pad to his hand and taped it down. "I still need to get in and recalibrate that generator, or we'll have to evacuate everyone back to Atlantis."

There was a brief scrabbling noise, and something that looked like a gerbil with rabbit ears shot out of the generator compartment, landed on John's shoulder, and then leapt away to freedom. He jerked in surprise as a set of needle-sharp claws sank through his shirt, pricking the skin underneath.

"Okay," he said, rubbing his shoulder. "Let's hope that's all the excitement for today." It was. Right up to the point he and Rodney stepped back through the gate to Atlantis, and the city's quarantine sirens started to howl.

*****

John made himself comfortable - well, sort of comfortable - sitting on the floor, his back against the side of the de-activated stargate. Rodney, predictably, was pacing.

The moment they'd walked through the gate, Atlantis had trapped them inside a force field that extended out from the gate and halfway across the embarkation area. They couldn't get out, and Keller could only get in by suiting up in hazmat gear. She'd taken vitals and blood samples and disappeared to her lab, leaving a nurse behind to keep an eye on them.

"How you feeling there, buddy?"

"How am I feeling? We're about to come down with the plague, and you want to know how I'm feeling? Who knows what sorts of loathesome diseases that little pointy-eared rat was carrying. We've probably got only days to live."

"I feel fine," John offered. "It's probably nothing."

"Atlantis doesn't think so, or we wouldn't be stuck under this force-field."

"That is how you coded the quarantine protocols."

"Yes, yes. They're working perfectly now. Just not in time to save us from a gruesome death." Rodney's eyes got wide. "Oh my God, maybe that thing had rabies. Did it look crazy to you? Was it frothing at the mouth?"

"It looked scared, Rodney. Which was a normal reaction considering the thing was about two inches tall and a giant was breaking into its house."

"Oh, now it's my fault," Rodney muttered. He paced in silence for a while. He was a little pale, John thought, and looked like he was getting a headache.

"C'mon over here and sit down," John suggested, and his concern kicked up a notch when Rodney joined him without protest. John moved away from the gate to let Rodney use it for a backrest. "Seriously, how are you feeling?"

Rodney brought his knees up and rested his arms against them. "Headache," he said tiredly. "A little dizzy."

Crap, John thought. "Hey, it might not be anything. If we were getting sick, I'd be feeling bad too."

"You will," Rodney said glumly. "It's just taking longer for you because I got a worse scratch."

John couldn't think of anything reassuring to say to that, so he kept quiet.

*****

Keller came back for a second round of blood draws, allowed Rodney some Tylenol for his headache, and left behind bottles of water and a bag of sandwiches the mess had sent up.

Then there was nothing for them to do again but wait. Rodney rolled up John's jacket to use for a pillow and promptly fell asleep. That left nothing for John to do but think. At least he had an excuse for staring at his best friend; he could say he was waiting for Rodney to turn purple or something.

He toyed with an empty water bottle, watching Rodney's fitful sleep. He'd finally let himself admit he wanted to be more than Rodney's friend when the thing with Katie started, but he couldn't bring himself to interfere. Rodney had been unbelievably awkward with Katie, and so painfully surprised that she liked him anyway. She was pretty, and very sweet. Only a real asshole would have messed that up.

It sucked being noble, though.

Now Katie wasn't an issue any more. Of course the timing wasn't so great, if they were coming down with space leprosy or something.

Keller came back before John could pursue that cheerful thought much farther. More important, she was smiling. John shook Rodney's shoulder to wake him up.

"I've got good news," she announced. "Mostly good news, anyway."

"Mostly good news?" Rodney repeated skeptically. "What's the bad news?"

"Really, almost entirely good news," Keller amended, "and only a little, um, slightly inconvenient news."

John rolled his eyes. "Just tell us, okay?"

"Right. Well, Teyla was able to identify the type of animal that scratched you and it does carry a virus that affects humans. The good news is that the ATA gene is remarkably effective against it." She nodded at John.

"Colonel, you had the virus the first time I drew blood, and your body was already creating antibodies. By the time I took a second blood sample, you were over it. You're immune and you can't act as a carrier either. Atlantis should be willing to let you out now."

"Cool." John grinned and reached out to test the force field. His hand slid through easily. "What about Rodney?"

"His body is fighting the virus too. It's going to be slower, McKay, because your gene is artificial, but I'm really sure that you'll be fine in a few days. You'll just have some flu-like symptoms."

Rodney had brightened a bit. "That's all? That's the inconvenient part?"

Keller looked regretful. "Well, there's a little more. Anyone without the gene would be hit pretty hard by this."

"So? Sheppard's fine, I'm the only one you have to worry about."

"You're really contagious, Rodney. I'll have to keep you in isolation until you're over this."

*****

There were blueberry-like muffins at breakfast the next morning, so John snagged a couple for Rodney and filled a travel mug with coffee. He showed up in the infirmary just as Keller came out of the isolation room, looking exasperated.

"Here to see McKay?"

"I am allowed in, right?"

"Be my guest, Colonel. See if you can get him to stop yelling at the nurses."

"He's not even in the same room as the nurses."

"He's got a radio, and he's not afraid to use it. And before you ask, no, he can't have a computer. He needs to rest."

"I thought you said his ATA gene would take care of this," John said cautiously.

"It will, I'm sure of that. It just won't keep him from getting a secondary infection."

"Gotcha," John agreed, and stepped into the airlock separating the isolation room from the rest of the medical bay.

"Sheppard!" Rodney's voice accosted him even before the second, inner door had fully opened. "You have to get me out of here. Keller's even worse than Carson! She won't let me work!"

"Hey buddy," John said easily. "How you doing?"

"I just told you how I'm doing! I want a laptop!"

John wasn't ready to tackle the no-computer issue; distraction was the better part of valor. "Brought you some coffee. And they had those muffins you like in the mess this morning." He placed his offerings on Rodney's depleted breakfast tray and went to pull a chair up to the bed.

"Oh, thank God, coffee. That's another thing Keller's depriving me of." Rodney inhaled a third of the coffee and started on a muffin. He looked feverish and jittery, the sort of edginess that meant he hadn't slept well at all.

"So, what should we do for the next team movie night?" John asked, settling back in his chair. "I don't think Ronon and Teyla have ever seen Frankenstein." 

Rodney snorted, and John made a few more suggestions he knew would hit Rodney's buttons. Coming up with creative insults always seemed to cheer him up. It took a while, but eventually the pace of Rodney's ranting slowed and his eyes got heavy, just as John had hoped.

He began a long rambling summary of an obscure film noir and waited until Rodney drifted off. He'd have to explain to Keller that Rodney's caffeine tolerance was so high, cutting him off just produced a headache, without helping him relax.

After all the times they'd shared a tent off-world, John could tell when Rodney was sleeping soundly or just dozing, and right now he was down for the count. Time for some reconnaissance.

*****

He found Zelenka in the lab, reviewing simulations with Simpson.

"Ah, Colonel. You have seen our fearless leader, yes? How is he this morning?"

"Keller says he'll be fine in a few days. He's kinda bored though; she won't let him work."

"I suspected as much. I may have a remedy." Zelenka went to a nearby cabinet and pulled out what seemed to be a small sculpture, about six inches tall, made of curved, intersecting pieces of polished bronze.

"What is this?"

"We think it is a puzzle. Not Ancient, no mental component, therefore relatively safe." He pointed out the engraved images on each side. "It comes apart, and pieces can be reassembled into each of these shapes. Is quite difficult. Should keep Rodney busy for some while."

"This is great, Radek," John was genuinely pleased. "How'd you get hold of this so fast?"

Zelenka gave him a small smile. "It was found last year, and I thought to keep it on hand. McKay deprived of work is a frightening prospect."

"He is that."

"You're braver than I am, Colonel," Simpson put in. "McKay's even more impossible than usual when he's sick. I hope he appreciates you."

*****

John ran into Lorne on his way out of the lab. "Just coming to look for you, sir." He handed John a couple of DVDs.

"What are these for?"

"I figured you were stuck trying to keep McKay happy while he's in isolation. Thought he might not have seen these yet." He nodded at John and went on his way.

*****

Ronon and Teyla were at their team's usual table in the mess. "How is Rodney?" Teyla asked, with clear concern.

"Keller says he'll be fine. Apparently the gene is taking care of it."

"You are both very fortunate. The trulu virus can be terribly unpleasant."

"I think Rodney would agree. He's not in the best mood right now."

"He has had much on his shoulders lately. And I believe the end of his relationship with Dr. Brown has saddened him." Teyla gave John a significant look. "Perhaps Rodney's fortunes will soon improve."

*****

John felt a little self-conscious running into Carter with his hands full of distractions for Rodney - DVDs, tea and pudding cups from Teyla and Ronon respectively, and the ancient-but-not-Ancient sculpture. She instantly guessed his errand.

"On your way to see McKay?"

"Yeah, he's not a happy camper right now."

"It's good of you to look after your team so well, Colonel. If he gets unbearable, let me know and I'll ask Keller if she can ease up on the work restrictions."

"Thanks for the offer," John said evenly.

He was getting a little tired of the unnecessary sympathy.

*****

Rodney was awake when John returned to the infirmary. He looked a little better, and lit up at John's armful of booty. "What's all this?"

"Just a few things for while you're stuck in here." He dumped the stuff on Rodney's bed and settled into his chair, glad to see Rodney feeling better, glad to see him happy for a minute. Glad to see him, period.

Man, John thought, I've got it bad.

"The tea is from Teyla, the pudding cups are from Ronon, and the DVDs are from Lorne. And that bronze thing is something Radek sent, the Pegasus version of a Rubik's cube, I guess. He said you'd like it."

"I do." Rodney was already studying the diagrams on each side of the sculpture. Then his face fell and he looked up at John. "There's nothing from you."

John glanced over to make sure the curtains were drawn between the isolation room and the rest of the infirmary.

"I brought you something different," he promised, and bent to give Rodney their first kiss.

 

  
end


End file.
